


Fear

by Nightglider124



Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, DCU (Comics), Teen Titans (Animated Series), Teen Titans (Comics), Teen Titans - All Media Types, Titans (Comics)
Genre: Angst, Drama, Familial Love, Family, Gen, Oneshot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-19
Updated: 2019-05-19
Packaged: 2020-03-08 05:54:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,675
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18888505
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nightglider124/pseuds/Nightglider124
Summary: Innocent, carefree and happy. That is what a child should be. Something so innocent should never have to witness nor be filled with so much horror and fear. Oneshot. Originally written in 2016. Kudos/Comments are appreciated! ^.^





	Fear

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally a request from over on Tumblr and whilst I don't usually post Tumblr requests anywhere other than that hellsite, I really liked this one so I put it on ff.net etc. Originally written in 2016.

Rushing through the hallways with a first aid kit and a bottle of water, the polite elderly man shifted his eyes back and forth. He swept through the corridors and down the stairs leading into the darkness that consumed him and the one he had watched grow from a boy to the man he was today. A  _stupid_  man he was for leaving such a dangerous item around for little hands to grab.

Alfred hurried down the steps leading to the caves entrance and he could hear her poor, fear fuelled screams. They were shrill and heart-wrenching. Who knew what was racing through her little mind?

Jogging onto the main platform in the bat cave, he became aware that she had more family around her now. Her uncle and her grandfather were there alongside the ones who cared most for her and had been there the split second things had gone wrong.

Frightened blue eyes peered up at him beneath a mop of ebony hair as he got closer to them all.

“Alfred! Thank god! Do you have the antidote to reverse the effect?” Dick asked, his voice unusually tight.

The white haired man nodded immediately and set it down beside the young father.

Dick breathed unevenly, caught between fear for his daughter and anger at Bruce for keeping such a threatening item around when she was waddling around the cave.

 _Fear toxin_. Jesus, did he remember what that could do. Dark shadows, horrifying and disfigured faces alongside distorted voices all blurring together and dragging you deeper into the abyss of all kinds of terrors.

His little girl had been wandering around the cave, being the little adventurer that she was, giggling and cooing at all the interesting things that Batman kept down there.

Peaked interest caused her to stumble across a canister of fear toxin, probably taken from Scarecrow as evidence but it ended with her rolling around on her little back in absolute horror now.

One wrong press and his child had been directly sprayed with it; the stuff of nightmares immediately filling her mind.

He gulped as he raided through the Bats edition first aid kit. Dick tried as hard as he could to remain calm as Mar'i struggled on the floor, giving into blood curdling screams and pushing her hands out in front to keep her  _family_  away. Big, wide emerald eyes shifted back and forth getting a good look at the twisted versions of the people who loved her.

There was a massive lump in his throat and he chanced a glance around the room. Tim had removed his mask and was kneeling at Mar'i’s side, patting her warm skin with a wet cloth to try and bring down the physical effects of drowning in fear.  Mar'i was trying to fight him, desperately waving her tiny fists around and murmuring all the incoherent words that were available in her limited vocabulary.

“Unca Tim! You not him! Away! Go!” She cried, turning every which way to avoid Tim whose eyes were filled with fear and sadness over the fact she was fighting him.

Dick looked over at Bruce who was standing off to the side, looking very guilty and very solemn as he watched the scene before him. Dick decided that the cave wasn’t exactly built for a 4 year old so he couldn’t exactly place all blame on his former mentor, no matter how much he wanted to.

Lastly, he looked at his gorgeous wife, whose breathing was harsh and tears were absolutely pouring down her cheeks. Lip quivering and her hands clasped tightly against her chest, she was shaking like a leaf in a storm.

“Richard…” She quietly hiccupped, staring down at their little bundle of joy.

Mar'i cried louder, tossing back and forth, “Make stop! Make stop! Mommy! Daddy!”

Starfire covered her mouth in horror, having no experience or knowledge of what to do in this situation. She had no way of helping her baby girl.

Dick couldn’t help himself; he reached out and briefly cupped her cheek, his eyes telling her that it’d be okay. She blinked back at him, silently begging him to do something.

Shakily inhaling a deep breath, he found the injection antidote to reverse the effects of Scarecrow’s signature weapon that drove some completely and inadvertently insane, causing them to see hallucinations or worse, entire soul destroying visions. He set it up and frowned down at Mar'i who was rapidly shaking her head. The injection would be scary in itself to a child but under this kind of influence, he imagined it looked more like a medieval weapon and being wielded by her father was probably not the most comforting either.

She moved her mouth and at first, no sound came but she suddenly erupted in a high pitched screech, trying to back away, only to be held in place by Tim.

“Daddy! No! Mommy! Help!” She pleaded, tears streaming down her chubby cheeks.

Dick blinked back tears and brushed her hair out of her eyes, “It’s okay, honey… Daddy will make it go away. I promise.”

With that oath lingering in the air, he leaned down and kissed her sweaty forehead before pushing the needle into her upper arm. Starfire wincing at the heart wrenching howl their daughter emitted.

Dick closed his eyes tightly; removing the needle after the liquid had all spread through her bloodstream.

Then, all there was to do was wait.

An hour or two passed with her crying and screaming being the only sounds that filled the cave, bouncing off the walls to create a horrific echo of their little girl’s pain.

However, as time passed and the antidote began to take effect, she became quieter. It came to be that she lay there, breathing heavily, pale and sweaty. Her eyes were fixated on the roof of the cave. The bright green hue had less of a sparkle and they were a little dull compared to how exuberant they were usually.

She twitched every now and then, her senses slowly but surely returning to her.

Alfred exited to prepare the infirmary for Mar'i. She had pulled through for now but everyone wanted to keep a check on her. Bruce soon followed, mumbling about wanting to do something right.

Dick looked up at him, “Dad… I’m sorry for what I-”

Bruce shook his head and narrowed his eyes at the ground beneath his feet, “No… You were right. I should have thought more about Mar'i-”

“It was an accident. I was no one’s fault; just an unfortunate accident. Honestly.” Dick reassured, acutely aware of Starfire reaching forward and attempting to comfort Mar'i by stroking her long jet black hair.

Bruce nodded and left.

Tim got to his feet and looked a little conflicted on what he should do.

“Tim, why don’t you go grab a shower and get a hot chocolate.” Dick suggested, softly,

“Are you sure you don’t want me to-” Tim breathed, eyes on Mar'i.

Dick smiled slightly despite the situation, “You’re running on empty. It’s alright now, she’s getting through it. You’ve been so good this evening. Go calm frayed nerves, okay?”

Tim hesitantly nodded before turning and slowly leaving the cave.

The three of them remained, silent but there nonetheless.

Mar'i whimpered and blinked a couple times before she sniffled and began to cry.

“Oh, my bumgorf…” Starfire whispered.

The small girl rubbed her eyes before holding her arms up to her mother her scooped her up immediately and held her so tightly to her chest, Dick wondered if she was ever going to let go of her.

Starfire quietly hummed to their child and swayed her in her arms in a comforting gesture. Dick sighed and gently tousled Mar'i’s thick black hair.

The red haired beauty who had stolen his heart way back when they were blushing teenagers glanced at him with a tired yet relieved expression.

Dick pushed himself up onto his knees and firmly pressed his lips against Starfire’s temple, sitting back and gently brushing a stray tear from her cheek with his thumb.

“You are okay, my little bumgorf.” Starfire hushed, dropping pecks against Mar'i’s mass of hair.

Mar'i sniffled against her mother’s shoulder, “I so scared mommy.” She whimpered,

Starfire hugged her closer, “I know… I know…”

Dick had a niggling urge to ask.

“Mar'i… Sweetheart… What did you see that scared you?” He asked, carefully,

Starfire froze, not knowing if she wanted to hear this.

Mar'i shifted her head so that her little face was still hidden by her mother’s red locks.

“You and mommy… You not here…” She whispered,

Dick furrowed his eyebrows, “Where were we?”

She turned her head and sadly blinked at him, a single tear slipping down her flushed face,

“…With grandpa and grandma Grayson.”

Dick felt a cold stone sink in his stomach and he shared a concerned expression with Starfire who scrunched her face up in worry.

Suddenly he felt a tiny hand reach out and grab his own.

“Daddy…” She paused whilst her lip quivered, “I no want you die.”

Dick felt tears prick his eyes and he rested a hand against her cheek.

“It wasn’t real, Starshine… Mommy and I are right here with you.”

“But you  _was_  gone-”

Starfire nuzzled the top of her head with her cheek, “We will never leave you, Mar'i.  _Ever_.”

Mar'i snuggled against Starfire’s shoulder seeking immense comfort. Dick and Starfire locked eyes. Deep down, they knew they shouldn’t promise her that, knowing that in their line of work they could  _leave_ her at a split second in a battle. However, their beautiful little girl needed comfort and that was exactly what they would give her.

Dick couldn’t help but dwell on the fact that the only thing worse than going through the trauma of the fear toxin yourself was seeing someone you loved go through it, especially when that someone was your own innocent child and being unable to erase the fears that chased her in her own mind. Now,  _that_  was truly chilling.


End file.
